The roses return
by EnEnUnited
Summary: Alex has returned home to 2008 and is having what she believes to be a normal day. However, panic sets in when a bunch of red roses appear on her desk... Warning: Spoilers for series 2
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, this is merely my take on the world of Ashes to Ashes.**

Alex had been having a nice normal day. Paper work through till lunchtime followed by a quiet lunch at home with Molly and Evan. It was when she returned to her desk that she saw it.

No, she thought to herself, mind racing, panic setting in as there, on her desk, lying freshly placed, was a bunch of bright red roses. Surely not. It must just be some well wisher, someone who had heard about her accident and had sent some flowers in by way of a greeting. Determinedly pushing all fear and dread to the back of her mind, Alex picked up the flowers and marched towards the reception desk.

"Karen, you don't happen to know who left these on my desk do you? Only there's no note."

"No Ma'am, sorry, I didn't recognise him."

"Can you remember what he looked like?"

"Erm, tall, blondish grey hair, thick set..."

The hairs on Alex's neck prickled, "And, er, did he leave a name?"

"Yes Ma'am, Boris Johnson."

Alex's knees buckled. No. He was dead. She'd seen it. Hadn't she?

"Ma'am? Are you alright? You don't look so good, I'm sending you home, come on."

The next thing Alex knew she was being driven home by Evan, who kept glancing at her nervously.

"Alex? Are you sure you're alright?" She made no reply. How could she possibly explain this to him. Then, of course, the perfect solution.

"Er, yeah, sorry, Evan, I, er, must have forgotten my medication this morning, it's just it's been so long, I er, forgot all about it..."

Evan made a mock tutting noise and began to twitter on like a mother hen about how important it was for her to take care of herself. Alex nodded absently. She had other things on her mind.

*~*~*~*~*

Two cups of tea later Alex was feeling much better. Of course it couldn't be him. He _was_ dead. And, after all, any anonymous well wisher could have left the name Boris Johnson. He was, after all, the mayor of London. That surprise had been unpleasant enough, she didn't need to go inventing another.

"How d'you feel about spaghetti tonight? My treat," whispered Evan, creeping in to check up on his patient.

"Sounds perfect," she grinned, relaxing at last.

*~*~*~*~*

This relaxation, however, was to be short lived.

The next thing she knew, Alex had nodded off and was slowly coming round to the soft tones of her godfather informing her that dinner was ready.

"Mmmm, thanks Evan," she mumbled, blissfully, "you're a star."

"Well I do try," he said smiling, helping her to her feet. "Oh, by the way, someone left something for you while you were asleep. Just out on the front step. I brought it in for you."

Intrigued, Alex followed him into the dining room. What greeted her sent a fresh tremor through her knees. There, on the table, was a fresh bunch of roses. Grasping Evan's arm and stepping towards it, she plucked out the card from where it nestled amongst the petals:

_King Dong- 9pm_

_If you understand, meet me._

The knees had completely gone and Evan gasped in surprise as he watched his god daughter sink to her knees, still staring at the card.

"Alex? Alex are you okay? Did you forget to take your medication again? What is it?"

"Er, no, Evan...I er, I need to go and lie down..."

*~*~*~*~*

She couldn't let him win. Martin Summers had ruined her chances of returning to normal life the first time, she was not going to let him continue taunting her for a second time. She glanced at her watch: 8.25pm. This was it. Now or never.

"Er, Evan, I, er, I'm going to get a breath of fresh air, I think it'll do me good."

"Oh, okay, do you want me to come or..."

"No, no, er, would you stay and look after Molly? It's almost time for bed any way. I've er, I've got my phone so, you know, don't worry..."

Evan frowned, but knew better than to argue, "Right. Take care."

*~*~*~*~*

Slipping into the car, Alex's heart was thumping. What was she doing? This man was dangerous. Anything could happen. _I'm not letting him rule my life any more. I'm taking control._

Parking up the car, Alex reached on to the back seat to where she had stashed various personal alarms and her Swiss army knife. You couldn't be too careful with this man, she thought.

Drawing up to the entrance of King Douglas Lane her heart thumped worse than ever. Don't give me away, she thought frantically to herself. Nervously she peered around her, the 21st century street light certainly made it much less dingy than the last time she had been here.

And then she saw him.

"G-Gene Hunt?" she gasped. And collapsed on the floor.

*~*~*~*~*

Coming to, Alex found herself staring directly into the face of Gene Hunt- a slightly altered Gene Hunt maybe, but Gene Hunt none-the-less.

"No," she muttered weakly to herself, "you're not real."

"I could say the same to you Bolly," he replied in a jovial, slightly sarcastic tone. "Part of me didn't expect you turn up 'ere, but I 'ad to think of some way to find out..."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ashes to Ashes – this is merely my take on their awesome world!!**

Pulling his former DI to her feet, Gene lead her over to a bench where they proceeded to sit quietly for several minutes, neither of them certain of what to say. In the end, curiosity got the better of Alex and she broke her silence.

"So how did you find me?" she asked, glancing up in Gene's direction, still not having entirely come to terms with his appearance.

"S'all over the news," he shrugged, "you're somethin' of a celebrity Bolly," he grinned. "Course, that wasn't the first I knew about it. I'd say that was when I received a phone call from Arthur Layton informing me 'e 'ad a piece of my past with 'im. Didn't 'ave the foggiest what 'e was talkin' about at first, then 'e mentioned yer parents and...I dunno...somethin' clicked. I phoned the police, but the next thing I saw was yer face plastered all over the TV."

Alex nodded, deep in thought.

"D'yer know the first thing I wondered was who yer plastic surgeon was," he grunted, his cheeky tone catching Alex so much by surprise that she couldn't help smiling.

Then she caught sight of her watch and started. Half past ten.

"God, sorry Gene, I've got to go. Evan'll be waiting for me; I said I'd only come out for some fresh air...Look, we should meet up again, talk things over..."

Gene nodded calmly. He had waited 27 years for this meeting- a few more days wouldn't hurt.

*~*~*~*

Gene grasped the slip of paper upon which Alex had scrawled her address tightly between his fingers and, though the details were now etched in his mind for all time, he quickly glanced down at it again nervously.

At eleven thirty on the dot he climbed out of the car and made his way slowly up the drive to his D.I.'s front door. Not a bad place, he thought, very in keeping with the Little Miss Bollinger Knickers image. He smiled. That name had stuck fast ever since the day they had first met. He never had asked her what she was doing on that boat.

As he approached the door, it opened and an elderly looking couple stepped out, followed closely by a young girl. Looking closely at the pair, Gene was certain he recognised them from somewhere.

Suddenly, from the shadows of the hall way, Alex appeared, "Thanks again Margery, Bryan. I'll see you at five then."

Of course, Margery and Bryan Drake. Her in-laws. Details of the robbery instantly came flying back to him, as did Drake's response. It all made sense now.

Stepping backwards out of their path, Gene nodded in acknowledgement of the couple, who smiled politely at him and continued down to the small Ford Fiesta parked at the end of the drive.

"Gene!" he looked up and saw Drake smiling at him from the doorway, "You found it all right then?"

"Yeah. D'you know I think I once arrested someone around 'ere for bein' too posh? So watch yourself," he said, peering backwards down the street.

Alex smiled in fond recognition of her DCI's quip, "You'd best come in then."

Gene followed her in through a low lit hallway into the sitting room. One of the first things that struck him was how homely it all was as, though on the numerous occasions he had visited her eighties flat it had been clean and orderly, with, perhaps, occasionally, a good number more empty wine bottles that there should have been, it had not quite had her mark stamped upon it, like it was not 'home'. Pictures of her daughter in varying stages of childhood also littered the room and it was only now that it fully struck the former DCI just how much she must have missed her, and what an insensitive thing he had said to her.

"Scotch?" Alex asked from behind him,

"You know me, Bolly," he replied turning around and accepting the glass from her outstretched hand before noticing her pouring herself a lemonade.

"Not 'avin one yerself?"

Alex shook her head knowingly, "Painkillers,"

Gene nodded. "I 'ad them once. Couldn't understand why they said that till I woke up two days later with no idea where the past 48 hours 'ad gone. Best not eh?"

His heart was thumping, there was something he had to say.

"Er, listen Bolls, I,er, well, some of the things I said to yer, before..."

Alex shook her head, "Just forget it," she said, absent-mindedly swirling her drink. She sighed, "When I think of how I reacted to Sam..."

The pair of them sat quietly for a moment, each reliving their own past mistakes.

"So, anyway," Alex chirped, suddenly, breaking into the silence, "tell me everything."

Gene started. "Everything?"

"Yeah, you know, all the details, everything I've missed. Chris and Shaz, what happened to them?"

"Oh," Gene looked thoughtful, "both as soppy as ever, soft gits. Er, two kids, married 25 years next month."

Alex beamed. The news of her favourite constructs' happiness filled her with warmth and relief. They certainly didn't seem imaginary any more. Then it hit her.

"What about Ray?"

"Raymondo? Erm, retired, back in Manchester, still never found 'the one', whatever that is..."

Alex smiled again, wondering to herself if even Ray knew what it was he was looking for, as no one else seemed to have the foggiest. She paused for a second, a question burning in her mind, though she was not certain she could bare to hear the answer. Eventually, however, it forced its way out.

"And, er, and what about you?"

"Me?" he asked.

"Mm," she nodded, sitting up, suddenly curious. "The fabled 'Gene Genie'. What's he been doing with himself all this time?"

Somehow, no matter how she tried, Alex could not imagine the Manc lion retired, settled into some drudgery of a quiet life, playing golf and drawing his pension.

He sighed. "Still drink too much, smoke too much and receive far less recognition than is frankly fair," they shared a grin. "Still, the lads in UCOS aren't so bad."

Alex was taken aback. "UCOS?"

"Yeah, you know, "Unsolved Crimes and Open Case Squad", like_ New _Tricks writ large."

Alex nodded, amazed. She just knew he couldn't ever give it up.

There was still one more thing.

"And er, and what about _you_?" she pushed. "Has there ever been another...another Mrs. Hunt?"

Gene looked down at his lap, a sly grin creeping over his face.

"Well I did consider gettin' a cat once," he grinned. "Otherwise, well, let's just say the elusive 'one' hasn't exactly made themselves apparent since..." he trailed off, looking mildly embarrassed.

Alex couldn't explain it but, despite his much altered appearance, her heart began to do back flips in her chest and it was all she could do to stop herself laughing out-loud.

"So, er, what about you, Bolly?" he asked nervously, looking down into his glass. "What's the situation?" As he said this he looked up suddenly and looked right into her eyes, a desperate desire for information, and possibly one detail in particular, clearly visible in his face.

She smiled.

"To be honest, Gene, I think you know mostly all about me, well, at least I tried to tell you," she smiled. "Let's see, er, divorced - Pete - I think you met him," she grinned.

"Oh yeah," Gene nodded, the memory of her violent outburst at a fourteen year old boy vividly returning to him, "you seemed particularly fond of 'im..."

They shared a smile and Alex rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, single mum- Molly, who you saw, twelve going on thirty five!"

As she said this, the pride and adoration in Alex's face struck Gene deeply, as he saw another side to his former colleague- not DI Drake, the strident police officer, not Bollinger-knickers, the bubbly, mildly inebriated chatter box in Luigi's of a Friday night, but Alex- the mother.

Just then the doorbell rang.

"That'll be Evan," Alex noted suddenly, looking down at her watch, "sorry, he said he'd pop in to make lunch, sorry I forgot all about it..."

Feeling slightly embarrassed at the prospect of meeting his former rival, Gene muttered, "Yeah, well I'd best be going anyway..."

As Alex showed Gene to the door, it opened suddenly and in burst a slightly flustered looking Evan White. Fluster turned to downright astonishment as he caught sight of Gene.

"Mr...Mr. Hunt?" he gasped in surprise, almost dropping his shopping, "Er, this is, um, a surprise..."

Sensing trouble, Alex stepped in,

"Er, it's okay, Evan, erm, Mr. Hunt just popped in to pay his regards- he, er, heard about the accident, you know..."

Evan nodded, smiling vaguely but still not looking convinced.

"Right, well, I, er, best be off," Gene mumbled.

"Course, thanks again, er, Gene," Alex smiled.

He had barely closed the door, however, when it opened again behind him and Evan ran out after him, concern burning in his eyes.

"Mr. Hunt!" he called. Gene turned around.

"Er, look, you didn't...well, she doesn't...she doesn't know about, about Caroline and me..."

Gene sighed to himself_. If only you knew_, he thought.

"Don't worry, Mr. White," he replied calmly, "she won't hear it from me."

**Hope you liked it! =0)**

**Thanks to everyone who's been reading / reviewing! **

**I'd love to hear what you think of this so far!!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ashes to Ashes or any of the characters – this is merely my take on their awesome world!!**

**Thanks to everyone who's read or left a review!! :¬)**

***~*~*~*~***

"Er, DI Drake, can I have a word?"

Alex looked up to see DCI Johnson leaning around the door of his office, calling to her.

"Of course sir," she replied, a little irritated, getting to her feet. There was something about this man she found vaguely irksome, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it; his position in that office just felt plain wrong. In her mind, that office would always belong to a far superior DCI.

"Drake, we have recently received a tip off about a local serge of drug smuggling. Rumour has it that a former dealer is behind it- a Mr. Edward Markham."

Alex's mind raced.

"Markham?" she stuttered, lost in thought.

"Er, yes, do you know him?" Her DCI looked rather puzzled.

_I'll say, _Alex thought to herself._ When you've been held hostage by someone whilst dressed as a prostitute they're sort of difficult to forget. _

Alex took a deep breath. "Er, I er, I think I read the file," she muttered, attempting to recover herself. "So they think he might be behind it?"

"Apparently. Listen Drake, it probably won't amount to much but if you wouldn't mind following it up- after all the doctors did advise we settle you back in gently."

Alex nodded absently, the full blow of this little blast from the past not having quite worn off. Then she had a brain wave.

"Er, come to think of it sir," she turned, smiling sweetly at her DCI, "would it be possible to rope in some assistance for this one? DCI...erm, I mean, Gene Hunt, from UCOS? It's just I seem to remember he was in charge of the investigation before."

The DCI frowned, slightly taken aback at her detailed knowledge of the case, but then nodded slowly.

"Yes, I suppose so. You want to watch him though, nasty temper apparently."

_You want to try being on the receiving end of it,_ Alex grinned inwardly.

"Oh I'm sure I can handle it sir," she replied. This was going to be interesting.

*~*~*~*~*

It had to be one of the weirdest telephone conversations anyone had ever had- but then Alex Drake had once held conversations with a dying man whilst in a coma herself, and so ringing her former DCI, whom she had taken at first to be a figment of her imagination and living inside her head, was largely run of the mill.

"Hunt?"

"Hi, Gene, it's Alex," she replied chirpily, her mood instantly improved at the sound of his voice.

"'Ello Bolls," the DCI replied cheerily, "what can I do yer for?"

"I think I might have a case for you gov," she continued, not bothering to correct her affectionate mistake. "Do you remember Edward Markham?"

"Like me favourite dose o' the piles. Why, wha's he done?"

"Well, we've had an informant who says he's behind a surge of of drug smuggling over recent months. I was wondering if you fancied tagging along, since the pair of you got on so well last time."

Her irony was not lost on the DCI.

"For you Lady Bolls," he replied, "anything."

*~*~*~*~*

Of course, Alex Drake was the first to spot the irony. Upon her arrival in 1981, the idea of spending any time with Gene Hunt filled her with unimaginable dread and yet now here she was actively arranging it.

She felt a buzz of excitement as she caught sight of her former colleague striding nonchalantly towards the interview room. Just like old times.

"Ready Bolls?" he asked, a broad grin of anticipation spreading across his lips.

"I sure am gov," she smiled back. "Just remember the drop off point is said to be St. Gerrard's road, but the first shipment arrived between seven and nine am on the 7th of April. Look out for that."

The look of recognition on Markham's face at the sight of Gene Hunt was unmistakable.

"Mr. Markham, I'm DI Alex Drake and this is..."

"Gene Hunt-UCOS"- Alex smiled inwardly, _shy and retiring as ever_.

"Hunt," Markham grinned insolently, "long time no see." Then, suddenly, he turned to Alex, a searching look on his face, "Don't I know you?"

Alex's heart thumped. She blushed. "I think that highly unlikely," she muttered, trying valiantly to remain calm and professional. She still wasn't used to this.

"No, well- yes, that's right, there was another female DI- Hunt took rather a shine to her as I recall..."

"When you're quite done Markham," Gene interjected angrily, his cheeks having noticibly darkened to a strong crimson. Alex nodded in appreciation and, gathering herself, continued.

"Mr. Markham, we have reason to believe you are connected to a serge in drug smuggling over recent months. As such we would like to ask you a few questions."

"Drugs eh?" Markhamreplied, looking thoughful. "Last time I was involved in that business I ended up getting shot in the foot- literally. Sort of puts you off!"

Alex smiled in mock sympathy. Twenty odd years may have passed but he was still as smarmy as ever.

"If you wouldn't mind answering a few questions, Mr. Markham, such as where you were between seven and nine am on the morning of the 7th of April?"

Markham sat back, thinking.

"At home, can't imagine anyone wanting to be out at that time of the morning. One of the perks of being retired. Course," he said, grinning slyly at Gene, "some people just don't know when to stop."

Alex saw her colleague stiffen slightly but was relieved to see that he didn't react.

"And can anyone vouch for your whereabouts?"

"Yes, my wife. You see, Mr. Hunt, we don't all live alone- dreaming of the past."

What happened next took Alex completely by surprise. Rather than resorting to the predictable and, Alex had to admit, justifiable violent retaliation on Markham, Gene took a deep breath.

"D'you wanna play a game Markham?" he asked, sitting back in his chair.

Markham frowned, "What?"

"I wanna play a game," the former DCI continued, "word association- first thing that comes in to yer 'ead."

The suspect's confusion grew visibly but he sat back, arms folded, and waited.

"Dog?"

"Cat."

"Banker?"

Sly grin, "You."

Alex stared at her DCI, open mouthed. No, surely not?

"Rain?"

"Clouds."

"Mice?"

"Cheese."

"St. Gerrard?"

Blank look. "What?"

"St. Gerrard?"

Another blank look. "Er, St. George?"

Gene nodded and, with a look of immense satisfaction, got to his feet and marched out of the room.

Alex glanced from one to the other of them, completely lost for words, before mumbling to the PC behind her,"Take him to the cells."

She caught up with her colleague just as he was embarking upon an explanation to DCI Johnson.

"Well, frankly sir I don't think 'e did it. I tried to get it out of 'im subconsciously but 'e didn't seem to know anythin' about it."

The DCI nodded, then commented, "I didn't know you were into psychiatry, Mr. Hunt."

"It's psychology actually."

Alex felt a serge of pride at his words.

"Quite. Well, you kept that quiet. Where did you pick it up?"

"Oh, well, I once 'ad a colleague who was pretty hot on that sort of thing," Gene muttered, pointedly not making eye contact with the DI. "It's sort of difficult not to pick somethin' up."

"Naturally," Johnson nodded, in a feeble attempt to appear to understand. "So, er, you think he's innocent,"

"Yes sir, " Gene nodded, "plus his alibi checks out so- no, much as I'd like 'im to be, Markham's not yer man."

"Right, well, thanks for your help, Mr. Hunt," Johnson replied, holding his hand out to shake Gene's before turning and walking back in to his office.

"Well," Alex muttered, a broad smile spreading across her face, "quite the little A-grade student aren't we?"

Gene returned the grin, "Yeah, well, you got yer knickers in enough of a twist about it I thought there must be somethin' in it," he replied before leaning in closer and muttered softly, "Don't underestimate me Bolls."

_Oh I don't think there's much danger of that, _the DI thought to herself.

"Listen Bolls," he continued, beginning to look a little nervous and staring down at the floor, "how'd yer fancy dinner, Friday night, my treat?" his cheeks had, again, begun to glow before he mumbled, "Course if you don't want to..."

"Gene," Alex cut through determinedly, "I'd love to - it's been too long!"

*~*~*~*~*

**Thanks for reading! Please leave a review and tell me what you think!! :¬)**


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